Newspaper Page Text
106
§ jidcx Mil ftapttet
/. J, TOON, - - ■ • Proprietor.
Bov. D. SHAVER, D.D., Editor.
THURSDAY, JULY 8, 1869.
‘‘Brotherhood of the New Life.”
The New York Observer mentions the estab
ment of anew religious community on the shore
of Lake Erie, in Chautauqua county, consisting
of about sixty adults, besides a number of chil
dren. As this movement began in October 1867,
we can hardly congratulate the Observer on its
despatch in communicating the intelligence to the
Christian public. And we might have better ap
preciated the candid bearing of that paper, if it
had not suppressed dates, as though aiming to
conceal its own tardiness in the premises. But
let that pass.
We refer to the matter by request, and because
the leader of the enterprise, “Rev.” Thomas
Lake Harris, is not unknown in our State. He
began public life, as a noted preacher of the Uni
versalist “ persuasionbut, for a dozen years
or more, he has claimed to be a “Seer” of the
Swedenborgian type, discerning in the Scriptures
a three-fold sense—the internal, the spiritual or
celestial, and the superior and archetypal,—and
privileged withal to visit the scenes, or to behold
the mysteries, of the Unseen World. In this
character, he has once or twice passed through
Georgia, and gathered a handful of (nominal) ad
herents among us.
Mr. Harris, if we may credit his testimony,
was once “in the spirit in a large city in the
lowest of the Upper Earths of Spirits,” (wherever
that may be,) “devoted to the reception of Cal
vinists who retain some germ of good,” in spite
of their system, “ and are capable of becoming
angelic.” There “ the frost lay upon the door
stone of every dwelling, and the ice was in the
pools before the windows ;” but “ now and then
a spicy breath, with the summer in it, alternated
most agreeably with the boreal blasts”—a breath
coming from “ a great, high mountain, eastward
beyond waters', resting upon snow-covered plains,
but rising through temperate zones into a tropic
world.” As this (mythical) mountain traverses
all the laws of the mountains on our globe, the
views and the phraseology of Mr. Harris run
counter to the usual lines of thought and forms
of expression in theological literature; and we
find it exceedingly difficult to frame them into
intelligible language of our own, even with the
help of the extended report in a recent issue of
the N. Y. Sun, and a volume of his own “Arcana
of Christianity” now lying before us. We ven
ture on the experiment, however.
Mr. Harris, like Swedenborg, rejects the doc
trine of the Trinity ; and we are gravely informed
that in order to the correction of this error in
Trinitarians when they pass from the present
state, there must be drawn from “ connected
cells in the brain” of the spiritual body, “a
little, glittering, three-headed viper—in reality,
not one serpent, but three, bodily interwoven
with heads and tails apart”—which “serpents are
the three falsities that they cherished and
preached” here, ‘as a doctrine of three person
alities in God.’ Like Swedenborg, too, Mr.
Harris holds that our Lord Jesus Christ is the
incarnation of the one God —the whole and only
divinity in human flesh—the Father, Sen and
Spirit centered in a single personality; while
“in his assumed body were as many degrees of
substance as exist throughout the universal series
of divine creations, since otherwise the lucarna
tion would not have been from beginnings to ends,
from first to last, and from causes to consequen
ces." Beyond this point Mr. Harris seems to
have impressed the system largely with his own
peculiarities, and the difficulties of our attempt at
translation increase. The following, however,
appears to us a fair statement in outline.
In the wonderful constitution of our‘ natures,
we bear about, within the natural body, a spir
itual body: and we are good, or evil, in propor
tion as the spiritual rules the natural or the nat
ural rules the spiritual. Prior to the fall of
man, the Holy Spirit breathed into the lungs of
the spiritual man and, by means of these, through
the organ of the frame: the spiritual ruled the
natural. When man sinned, the access between
the two pairs of lungs was obstructed, and the
organs of the frame were filled by “the breaths
which emanate from Pandemonium:” the natural
ruled the spiritual. The great work of Christ
was “ properly a battle of respirationthrough
the divine breath, he overcame the breaths of the
whole world and of hell itself: in other words,
“ He conquered back the lost respiration of the
orb,” and herein consisted His atonement—
herein our redemption through Him. “The
lungs,” then, “are the womb of the new birth
and the process of that birth consists in the re
moval of the obstruction between the spiritual
and the natural lungs of men, that ‘the whole
being may be surrendered to the incoming breath
of the Redeemer.’ This ‘ re-opening of therespi
ratories,’ and ‘the continual breathing of the
Lord, by His divine Spirit, through the spiritual
into the natural lungs,’ is the new life. Those
who receive it become a brotherhood, because
the internal respiration, which is the bond of
union in the Lord, “broadens the area of sensa
tion,” and each “experiences the sensations of
others, as within himself;” so that the godly,
while recognizing the impure with instinctive
repulsion, are drawn together in unselfish affini
ties, and find persenol in mutual happiness. This
influence will recast human society, in communi
ties after the model of that on the shore of Lake
Erie. These communities—or “ open-respiring
churches”—are “building for freedom her last
fortress on earth,” since “ the spirit of liberty is
abandoning thb political social edifice, both in
Europe and America.” They await, too, “the
fourth kingdom, wherein the spirits of men shall
be filled with the Divine Spirit of Christ and the
bodies of men with the Divine Body of Christ,
so that the ensoulment and embodiment of Chris
tianity shall be complete.” “And the time is at
hand.”
This is the shadowy basis of that Millennarian
ism, which has attracted to Mr. Harris a body of
men, mostly successful in life and endowed with
the riches of this world —including, among oth
ers, Lady Oliphant, and her son, lately a member
of the British Parliament. His adherents main
tain habits of industry; are ruled by a Council
of Direction, whose nineteen members take no
step without absolute unanimity ; and inculcate
the utmost purity in the relation of the sexes, on
the usual Swedenborgian ground that “conjugial”
ties formed in the present life are perpetuated in
the life to come.
The subscriber at whose instance we have
written the foregoing paragraphs, will suffer us to
add one or two, on our own account. We wish
to illustrate, a little farther, from the “Arcana” of
Mr. Harris, his wild «nd visionary type of mind.
Here is an extract, which we beg leave to dedi
cate to Rev. Dr. Haven, editor of Zion's Herald,
(the Boston organ of the Methodist Episcopal
church,) eulogist of the black race and advocate of
amalgamation :
“I was conducted to Mars in spirit, and there
beheld a representation of the world-soul of our
orb; the spirits of African nation in her brain,
of European nations in her lungs, of Mohamme
dans in the loins, and of Asiatics in the principal
organs of the viseera; of the Anglo-Saxon race in
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SODTH-WESTERN BAPTIST: ATLANTA, GA„ THURSDAY, JULY S, 1869.
Australia and America in the right and left arms.
. . I was surprised to observe t bat the. African
race occupied a position within the cerebrum and
cerebellum : but soon observed the reason. At
the present time the dormant intellectual facul
ties of the African people are replete with stored
up germs of the most sublime arts, sciences, phi
losophies and inventions, in first principles. A
new creation is literally existing there; and that
race which is supposed to be the lowest on the
earth, is really the highest from the stand-point of
the Celestial Heaven. . . Spiritually the Afri
can is the most inoffensive of all Earth’s inhabi
tants, and the most easily elevated into angelhood
after the decease of the body."
Historians of “the Great Rebellion” from what
they regard as very nearly “the stand-point of the
Celestial Heaven,’’ will find important aid in the
next quotation; unless, indeed, Dr. Peck’s “God
in America” should reach a second edition—in
which case, we strenuously urge all men to re
cognize the pre-emptive title of that “inspired”
writer to a testimony so exactly in his own vein:
“I saw George B. McClellan in the Spiritual
World, riding between two demon chiefs, one call
ing himself Kleber, and the other Soult, though
these names were pretences. I asked the reason
why he was seen thus accompanied, and was told
that he was fearfully infested, and that their mis
sion to him was to form an external fatuous plane
about his mind, so that he might waste away the
armies of the Republic entrusted to his charge.
I was taken in spirit to a battle-field near Rich
mond, Virginia, and beheld almost a million of
spiritual vampyres and wanderers, in the middle
expanse of ether. They encompassed the city of
Richmond as with a triple wall, their mission be
ing to deplete the armies of the Republic of ani
mal life, and to nourish thereby the despotic
forces. I beheld the spirit of a man, known in
the body as a bishop of the Episcopal church, by
name Meade; he was mounted on a pale, spectral
horse, riding through the ranks of the vampyres,
and seen by them as St. lago in the legend moving
before the Spanish chivalry, a false prophet of the
demon god; with him were many ecclesiastics.
I saw the traitor, Jefferson Davis, on his knees in
a private cabinet, confessing his sins in a fantasy,
while at the same time the spiritual demon who
governs him, whispered in his ear encourage
ments to the belief, that, come what might, his
calling and election were being made sure. He
is one of those whose conscience has been drugged
through intercourse with demons, and whose
lungs(!) reek with crime. In the visions of the
night I beheld a mighty man from Pandemonium,
instilling into the breast of one of his presiding
military chiefs, a subtle wisdom, a defiant cour
age, a policy at once daring and circumspect.
The same demon has alternately visited this chief
and the general of the Republic, spoken of before,
so connecting them by magnetic bands, forged as
of infernal steel, that the positive sphere of the
one saturates the oppressed mind of the other,
impeding the operation of the mental faculties. I
heard in the night, an angel whispering in the ear
of the President of the United States, ‘You must
emancipate, you must emancipate;’ but at the
same time the evil genius of this kind man, Wove
subtle spells to hold him in a state of irresolu
tion. I beheld the spirits of the lost inhabitants
of the Slave States, almost en masse, moving in
advance of the rebel hordes; great numbers of
them being present in every battle.”
But enough of this “Seer." “Respiration” has
two stages. Inspiration, the first, is sufficiently
exemplified in these extracts: and now we quietly
wait for the second—expiration, which will make
an end of the whole matter.
“Political Assassination,” again.
We read, in an exchange, not long since,
the story of a little girl who, at the close of
her prayers one night, naively said, “ Good
bye, God; good bye, Jesus Christ; I’m go
ing to Boston to-morrow.” The little prat
tler seems never to have dreamed that They
would be with her there. And we strongly
incline to think that the editor of the Chris
tian Era must have lapsed into her illusion
on that, point, when he wrote bis notice of our
recent article on “ Political Assassination.”
Must he not have been oblivious, for the mo
ment, of the Divine Eye, as glancing down
on the heart that conceived and the hand that
penned his slanderous falsification of our ar
ticle ?
The Era holds that “no man’s life is
safe in Georgia, unless he is ready to sink his
individuality and manhood in a tacit approval
of Ku-Kluxism ” —(in which case we have
most urgent need to make our will, since we
have openly and frequently denounced it, and
do and will denounce it.) And our article,
the Era declares, contains “ a column or more
of apologetic reasons for ” this “ lawlessness,
which is not only an admission of, but really
an encouragement in it.” Is it altogether fan
tasy that mingling with these words, we
“ hear, 5r seem to hear,” echoes of the adieu,
“Good bye, God; good bye, Jesus Christ;
I’m in Boston now ” ?
No other style of answer, we conceive, is
necessary,or appropriate, to the ludicrous (yet
infamous) accusation of the Era ; unless it
be this. The New York Tribune , which is
high Northern, anti-“ Ku-Klux ” authority?
says : “ The Christian Index— a Baptist pa
per, issued at Atlanta, Georgia—has a long
and able leader on ‘ Political Assassination,’
which, while it is mainly a denial of the
charges on which its compatriots are arraigned
at the North, manages to give the ‘Conserva
tives’ some wholesome and timely counsel:”
Has the Tribune been smitten with blindness,
that it should mistake “an admission of”
such lawlessness as the Era supposes to exist
here for “ mainly a denial ” of it, and should
find “ wholesome and timely counsel ; ’ in “an
encouragement” to the assassination of its
selectest compatriots ? Or, has the Era wan
tonly wrested that obvious purport of our
article, which even the pluck of the Tribune
would uot venture to misconstrue? Between
these alternatives, we leave the reader to his
ow r n choice.
Divorce and Re-marriage.
A divorce may be legal without being
Scriptural. In that case, it works no disso
lution of the marriage tie in the sight of God.
A second marriage of the parties, therefore,
is a sin ; and the miuister who celebrates it
becomes a partaker of the guilt. He prosti
tutes the sanctions of religion to a union
which God abhors.
What, then, is the Scripture ground of di
vorce ? The answer lies in the words of our
Saviour, Matt, xix; 9: -‘I say unto you,
Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it
be for fornication, and shall marry another,
committeth adultery; and whoso marrieth
her which is put away, doth commit adultery.”
Nothing, therefore, but the gross offence which
cur Lord specifies, dissolves the bond of mat
rimony, and warrants a second marriage. In
this view, we believe, all Christian churches
concur. The sentiment of evangelical men
is a unit here. And our correspondent, at
whose request we refer to the subject, will
allow us to add that the most momentous
considerations demand inflexible adherence to
the Scriptural rule, if there is to be any ade
quate protection to public morals, on a ques
tion fundamental to the purity of society. If
we pass this barrier, no other remains which
the tide of progressive corruption will not
sweep away, until, by authority of law, or
by evasion of it, the most trivial pretexts will
be accepted as dissolving a relation meant to
endure for life, and we shall have, perhaps,
a modern as well as an ancient school
of Hillel, allowing a husband to put away
his wife if she but burns the food she
cooks for him ! Except where the Scriptural
ground of divorce exists, ministers are under
imperative obligations not to celebrate a
second marriage, and churches must purge
themselves of members w’ho enter into such
a connection in these circumstances, until
they repent of their iniquity and renounce it.
Loose Communion and Unity.
In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul
says : “ There is (1) one body and (2) one
Spirit, even as ye are called in (3) one hope
of your calling; (4) one Lord, (5) one faith,
(6) one baptism, (7) one God and Father of
all, who is above all, and through all and in
you all.” (Ch. iv : 4—6.)
We have here what Litton styles a “cat
alogue of fundamental unities.” They are
seven in number, it is a fact of sortie sig
nificance, that baptism is included in the list,
and that the Lord’s supper is not. Does it
administer no rebuke to the modern spirit oi
loose communion ? To make its ground good,
that spirit dispenses with the institution
which the Apostle has specified, alleging that
unity may be maintained withosil it! At the
same time, it alleges that unity can'be main
tained only with the institution which the
Apostle has not specified ! Now, if we have
fallen on such evil times that the maintenance
of unity must involve the ignoring of the
one institution or the other, we prefer to fol
low the apostolic specification in the premises.
We cannot strike out baptism from the list
of “fundamental unities” by Paul, inspired,
and insert, in lieu of it, the Lord’s supper,
simply because Crammond Kennedy, and such
like, pronounce this “ not only a sign but
also a means of the oneness of believers”
—the oneness being “implied and effected ”
by it 1 For us, at least, the letter to the
Ephesians is still authority; and, where we
have right of action and responsibility for
it, the “ one baptism ” must stand, as the
divinely-enjoined profession of that “ one
faith,” by which the “one body” is knit to
the “ one Lord.”
Our Zion—in Our Exchanges, etc.
Georgia.
The Cartersville Express says that ‘S. G. Hill
yer, Jr., son of the Rev. S. G. Hiltyer, D.D , an
eminent Baptist Minister of this State, has been
duly empowered and authorized to preach the
Gospel, by the Baptist church of that place.’—Of
the 847 Baptist churches hi the State, reported in
the Statistical Table of the Minutes of the Con
vention for the present year, only 28 are set down
as having preaching every Sabbath. Is not this
clearly a state of things which should not be?—
It is expected that the church at North End mis
sion station, Atlanta, will be constituted next
Sabbath afternoon. Forty members unite to form
it; and we hope they may prove the nucleus of a
large and efficient organization.
Alabama.
The Tuscumbia Herald, we are gratified to
learn, closes its fourth year with a larger sub
scription list than it has ever had, and a constant
ly increasing circulation. It is “a permanent in
stitution,” the editor tells us, and wc are sure that
it deserves to be.—The proposition for union be
tween Missionary and Anti-Missionary Baptists,
we judge from the action of the Lost Creek and
Tuscaloosa Associations, has failed for the pres
ent. —Rev. W. A. Mason, the newly elected pas
tor of our church at Glennville, says, at the close
of a business letter to us: “The church here is
small, the Methodist element being predominant;
but with the blessing of God, I hope to see His
work prospering soon. Already several souls are
enquiring ‘what they must do to be saved.’ I
am giving my whole time to this church. I saw,
a few days ago, a copy of the Investigator, of
Boston. It is taken regularly by one of our citi
zens, and is having a bad influence on the com
munity. Several are open advocates of its princi
ples, among whom is one formerly a class-leader
in the M. E. Church. Is this new school infidel
ity gaining ground through our whole country ?
O, how God’s people should be at work to infuse
into the minds of our people the religion of Jesus
from the pulpit, the S. school, the press, and in
every other way. I heard good news from Ramah
church, about fifteen miles west of this, a few
days since. At their last meeting, brother Paul
lin baptized twelve, and the same number will be
baptized next Lord’s day. Pleasant Hill church,
seven miles South, is in good condition ; also,
Cool Spring, seven miles north. Both of these
churches are under the pastoral care of Rev. J.
P. W. Brown, the founder, as I am told, of all
the churches in this section. We have a goodly
number of Baptists in this portion of the State,
and they are of the staunchest kind. In order
that we may not be overlooked, I have ventured
to write particulars in some cases. Henceforth,
we hope, by the medium of the pen, and more
particularly by our rich harvest of souls, to keep
our brethren informed of the fact that we still
live.”
Arkansas.
A Baptist minister reports the baptism of 28
colored persons recently, in twelve and a half
minutes.—Seven persons have been baptized at
Trenton church, Phillips county, which wants a
pastor, —The Arkansas Baptist Convention meets
at Helena, Nov. 6th.
Kentucky.
Rev. A. S. Worrell, Lexington, proposes to pub
lish, when a thousand subscribers shall have been
obtained, a beautiful, 48 page, octavo monthly, the
Baptist Sentinel ; which, with the aid of ‘a num
ber of the very best writers in the denomination,’
will seek, without thrusting the peculiar views of
the editor unbecomingly on the reader, “to set
forth and defend the faith and practice of the
great Baptist faqaily; to develop individual piety ;
to impress upon the mind of the reader, his obli
gations and duties to Christ and His cause; to
expose, in a kind spirit, error, wherever found;
to foster every good work and system of works
known to our denomination ; to oppose, in every
proper way, the advancing hosts of Ritualism ,
in whatever phase presented; and, in fine, to
‘contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to
the saints.’ "
Louisiana.
R. H. Brumley writes, from Delhi, that the
Bayou Macou Association has never assembled
since the war, and more or less of the churches
are now extinct. -Home churches, however, have
yet a name to live, and he thinks that an Evan
gelist, if a zealous, cross-bearing man of God, of
gopd abilities, might accomplish much good by
itinerating from church to church and from
neighborhood to neighborhood. Extinct churches
might bp revived, and new churches prganijied.
Who will hear the call ? —Tfie Baptist State Con
vention was to meet at Mansfield, Re Soto Parish,
July 2nd.—There has been a work of grace at
Shreveport, (Rev. A. E. Clemons pastor,) with
43 accessions, nearly all by baptism.
Missouri.
David H. Hickman, Moderator of the General
Association, who was in the membership of our
churches what Rev. A. P. Williams, D.D., was
in the ministry, died June 25th.—A new Baptist
mission is to be opened in St. Louis, in the neigh
borhood surrounding the German Baptist church,
corner of 14th and Carr streets. —There have
been 17 accessions to our church at Calvy Sta
tion, Gasconade county.—A church has been re
organized at Alexandria, QJark county. —A Bap
tist house of worship is under contract at Leba
non, Laclede county, to cost about 5,000. —Henry
C. Redling has been ordained to the ministry at
Pleasant Yalley church.—A new church has been
organized at Ozark, the county seat of Christian.
North Carolina.
The Roanoke (colored) Association, at its recent
session, reported an incretPse of 1,400 members
during the year, and returned thanks to the white
Baptists for the use of their churches, until they
could build others for themselves.—W. R. Gault
ney reports 0 baptisms, at Hillsboro, and F. H.
Jones 6 in his new field of labor.
Tennessee.
Rev. S. H. Ford, LL.D., of the Central church,
Memphis, is able to preach again, though he still
goes on two crutches.
VIRGINIA.
A revival is in progress at Fulton, (the Eastern
suburbs of Richmond ;) seven have been baptized
at Leigh street, and ten others received for bap
tism.—R. J. Towill was ordained to the ministry
at Zoar church, county, June 17th;
sermon by Rev. A. Hall. "
Our Colleges.
Catalogue of the and Students of How
ard College, Marion, Ala., 1868-’69, Pp. 60.
The-Faculty includes E. Q. Thornton, A. M.,
President and Professor of Chemistry, Natural
History and Modern Languages; A. B. Goodhue,
A. M., Professor of Mathematics and Greek; D.
G. Sherman, A. M., Professor of Latin Lan
guage and Literature; J. B. Yaiden, A. M., Prin
cipal of Preparatory Department; J. H. Hendon,
A. 8., Assistant in Preparatory Department.
The students, the past session, amounted in num
ber to 115. The College—with a competent and
efficient Faculty,—an accessible and healthy loca
tion, in an intelligent and moral community,—
moderate rates of tuition, —and cheaper board
than at the colleges of Tennessee, Kentucky
or Virginia,—appears (we are glad to see) to be
gradually regaining its former prosperity. We
shall be greatly disappointed, if the State pride
and the denominational self-respect of Alabama
Baptists does not speedily and greatly accelerate
progress in that direction.
Cataloguf. of Richmond College, Session 1868-’69.
This Institution, the past session, had 131 stu
dents in the Collegiate Department, under the tu
ition of Rev. T. G. Jones, D.D., President and
Professor of Moral Science; Edmund Harrison,
A. M., Professor of Latin and French ; Rev. H.
H. Harris, M. A., Professor of Greek and Ger
man ; Edward B. Smith, M. A., Professor of
Mathematics; B. Puryear, A. M., Professor of
Natural Science ; and Rev. J. L. M. Curry, LL.D.,
Professor of English. There were also 23 stu
dents in the Preparatory Department, under H.
A. Strode, Tutor in English, Mathematics and
Latin. The total number of students, therefore,
was 154. For the coming session, the chair of
Moral Science has been vacated by the resignation
of Dr. Jones, whose successor has not yet been ap
pointed : and Edward K. Murray, M. A., takes
the place of H. A. Strode. The able Faculty,
eligible location, charges, and s thorough
discipline of the College, commend it to patron
age ; as also the fact that it is the only College in
the South which has a distinct School or Chair of
English—embracing the- origin, growth, gram
matical structure, and philological'peculiarities of
the language, and Rhetoric, studies on the lives of
eminent English and American writers, with crit
ical readings of their productions, and an outline
of History, with special-reference to the progress
of society, and the of political ideas
and constitutional law.
Our Foreign Missions.
I am glad to say that we begin the new
fiscal year under encouraging circumstances.
You remember that the Foreign Mission
Board, in their recent annual report, use the
following language :*
“The Boaid are prepared, in view of the
results of the last year, and of the necessities
of the missions, to recommend an enlarge
ment of our work at no distant period. Will
it be too much to ask of the churches that
they give us during the coming fiscal year
the sum of $30,000? With this amount the
fields now suffering ff-r an increase of labor
ers, and other facilities, may be supplied.
If the Convention can sufficiently trust God
and the churches to recommend such a policy,
there is reason to believe that suitable men
can be found as soon as the means are at
hand to send them forth.
“ With the increasing readiness of the
churches,as such,to contribute toour work, the
sum proposed is small, compared with their
number and ability. It, will be no extrava
gant calculation to expect this sum, if the
proper energy shall be put forth. Let us
‘expect great things,’ and ‘attempt great
things.’
“A wise economy suggests such a progress
ive measure. Indeed, the continued existence
of our missions depends upon it. The la
borers in the field cannot live always. Each
of our stations is occupied by a lone mission
ary. If one be caU.ed*away by death, his
position is left undefended- the work he has
prosecuted ceases. We ought not .to wait
till his strength is exhausted before aid is
sent.
“Nor can we shut our eyes to the vastly ex
tended openings for missionary labor which
God is placing before us. In each- of the
provinces occupied by <>ur brethren in China,
accessible millions are ready to hear the
words of salvation. In almost every part of
the Empire, preachers of righteousness may
go. And so with Catholic Europe and be
nighted Africa. As Baptists, we must not be
indifferent to these calls of Providence. Let
us go forth in the name and strength of our
Redeem.:r, nothing doubting. Let us strive
to make Him, His truth, His salvation, and
His institutions, known among the benighted
of the earth.”
1 am satisfied that Georgia Baptists will be
prepared to t&ke their full share in the en
deavor we propose. L it too much to re
quest that every pastor will consent to se
cure for us the cooperation of the church or
churches over which he presides? A contri
bution from every church. This is our mot
to. Will not every one who aims at this,
approve himself to his oving Lord and Sa
viour? Has Jesus given up a]l, yea, His
own life, for us, and shall not we give Him
our influence, talents, money, yea, all, that
His precious gospei may be sounded out
among the nation? ?
I will beg that individuals and churches
act without delay. We have no time to lose.
On behalf of the Board.
Jas. B. Taylor, Cor. See.
Richmond, July 1,*1569.
Church Constituted.
On last Saturday we met, according to a
previous appointment, and organized ~a new
Baptist church in a destitute portion of this
county, (Gordon.) I have been preaching to
them this year, at the request ol the breth
ren, and though they are few in number, (only
thirteen,) yet I trust that God, in his good
ness, has precious blessings in store for them.
They are a zealous and working people, anx
ious and waiting for the “ bread of life.”
At the same place, early in the Spring, I
assisted them in organizing a Sabbath school
of fifty scholars and six teachers, which is
now in a healthy and growing condition ; and
it is hoped that the seeds of knowledge and
virtue will be sown in that ground, which
will bring forth much fruit to the honor and
glory of our blessed Redeemer.
M. H. Sanders.
Sugar Valley, Ga., June 19,1869.
Florida News.
We have seated ourself pen in hand to give
your readers a few items of Florida news.
We have nothing of a very interesting
character to communicate, but as “ the Pro
prietor” says, we must write, the only alter
native left is for us to say, “We will try.”
We highly appreciate your efforts to dis
seminate the light of gospel truth through
our Southern land, and to awaken in our
churches and among our members a higher
devotion to the cause of Christ, and a more
intelligent and earnest zeal in the great work
of Education, Missions, Sunday schools,
Temperance, etc. Long may you live to do
noble service for Christ and truth.
You have a few subscribers in this part of
our little State, who anxiously look for your
weekly visits, and feel that it is no ordinary
privilege to be permitted to glean from your
precious columus rich food for the mind and
heart. If the Master continues us in this
part of his vineyard, we hope ere long to add
other names to your subscription list, and
thus increase your power to do good, by in
creasing your circulation. If every Baptist
family in Florida would so honor you as to
request your weekly visits, we feel confident
that our cause, the cause of New Testa
ment Christianity, would be greatly strength
ened and promoted thereby.
Our churches so far as our knowledge
extends, are generally in a cold, almost life
less state. The spirit of the world seems to
have entered the church and is leading captive
many who once professed to belong to Christ.
Conformity to the world among professing
Christians, is an evil of great magnitude.
The Master has said : “ If any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
One of the evils complained of by brother
J. H. Campbell, in a late number of the
Index, viz., “A want of discipline in the
churches,” is lending its potent aid in retard
ing the progress of Gospel truth, and in
bringing coldness and dearth upon Zion. We
fear that the churches are often slow in exer
cising a wholesome Scriptural discipline.
Our last Union meeting was held with the
Peniel church, five miles frorn Pilatka. The
exercises were of a highly interesting charac
ter. Brother C. B. Jones—who, if I remember
rightly, is from South Carolina, and was a
co-laborer with Dr. R. Fuller, during the
beginnings of his ministry—opened the dis
cussion on the query, “Is our Church Govern
ment Scriptural.” This brother also preached
a sermon on Sunday morning from a subject
which had been previously selected, viz.:
“ Did the Divinity participate in the suffer
ings of Christ ?” The brethren were so well
pleased with this sermon that they determined
to have several hundred copies printed for
circulation among the churches. Brother
Jone§ is now laboring under the appointment
of the Home Mission Society, New York.
His field is in and around Pilatka. and along
the St. John’s River. He is an able minister
of the New Testament, and through the
Master’s blessing, will accomplish much in this
destitute region. J. H. T.
Waldo, Fla., June 'ZAth, 1869.
Au Alabama District Meeting.
The recent Baptist District Meeting, held
with our church at Newton, appointed Bro.
E. Brooks Chairman, and W. D. Wood,
Secretary. The queries presented for debate
and solution by the committee of arrange
ments, (Brethren P. M. Callaway, J. Poyner
and C. Smith,) were answered, as follows :
Ist. Does the 16th verse of the 2d chapter
of Colossians abrogate the law of the Sab
bath ?—Answered in the negative.
2nd. Was repentance a duty before John
the Baptist preached it?—Answered affirm
atively.
3rd. Is the doctrine of everlasting punish
ment made known by cause and effect, or by
revelation only ? Answer, by revelation only.
4th. Was the Decalogue a law given to
the Jews and Gentiles? Answer, to the
Jews ; and under the Gospel dispensation, is
binding upon the whole human family.
sth. What is the duty of a church, in ref
erence to a sister church in her community,
which is heretical in doctrine, or grossly neg
ligent in discipline ? Answer, strive to bring
about a reformation; failing to do so, with
draw fellowship.
6th. Can a less number than a majority of
the members of the church transact business?
Answer, they can.
7th. Is it lawful for a ehurch to receive for
baptism, a man who has been divorced from
his wife for any other cause than adultery ?
Answered in the affirmative.
Bth. Is Baptism the door of the church?
Answer, it is.
Oth. What is the duty of a minister whose
churches habitually neglect to support him ?
Answered with the following resolution:
Resolved, That it is the sense of this meeting,
that it is the duty of the minister to declare
to the church the whole counsel of God ; and,
if he must do so, to labor in any lawful
way to supply his necessities, but not other
wise neglect his ministerial duties.
The following Essay on the Duty of
Deacons was read by Bro. E. Brooks, and
adopted for publication:
The Christian church differs from every
other society. It is not like human organi
zations —abandoned to the direction of carnal
policy or fallible reason. It has the eternal
God for its author; His children for its mem
bers ; Hisjglory for its aim ; and His word for
its guide. Its origin, its character, its laws
and its duties are all revealed in the Bible ;
and only from that book of unerring wis
dom must we seek instruction on the subject
before us. A church of Christ, as depicted
in the New Testament, is a very simple or
ganization. It is no complicated body. No ;
it is a community of professed believers in
Jesus, voluntarily associated in one place, to
observe the worship and ordinances enjoined
by Him, and to promote His kingdom in
each other and the world. Each church,
holding an equal relation to the King of Zion,
is independent of all others and accountable
only to Hirn. (They ought indeed to be united
by love, and aid each other with fraternal
sympathy.)
The officers appointed by Christ through
the Apostles to be permanent in His church,
were Pastors, to labor for its spiritual wel
fare, and Deacons to attend to its temporal
affairs and to the poor. In the epistles to
ths various churches these two only are men
tioned as the regular officers; and their nec
essary qualifications are specified minutely in
Paul’s first letter to Timothy, third chapter.
That they were chosen to office by the mem
bers, is evident from the fact, that no provis
ion was made for their choice in any other
way, as well as from various instances of
such election. The first Deacons were chosen
by the whole multitude of Disciples: Acts
VI: 1-6 Deacons must be grave; not
double tongued ; not given to too much wine;
not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mys
tery of the faith in a pure conscience. And
let these also first be proved, then let them
use the office of a Deacon, being found blame
less. Even so must their wives be grave
not slanderers ; sober ; faithful in all things.
Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife
ruling their children and their own houses
well, for they that have -used the office of a
Deacon well purchase to themselves a .good
degree, and great boldness in the faith which
is in Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 11l 8-14.
And now my brethren, after finding within
the lids of the Bible who are the qualified
members to fill the office of Deacon, I will
proceed to give you what, in my humble
opinion, their duties should be.
Ist. They should take charge of the church
house and its furniture, and cause the same
to be taken care of and kept neat and in good
order. They shall see that the necessary el
ements be prepared on each communion day
and they be at the church-house in due time.
2nd. If any member of the church should
fail to commune, it is their duty to inquire
into the same, and report the cause to the
church.
3rd. It is the duty of the Deacons to see
that all widowed members of the church
for which they are chosen, who are in indi
gent circumstances, are provided for, and that
they as well as the other poor do not suffer.
4th. If there should arise any misunder
standing, or hard-feeling or malice between
church members, it is the duty of the Dea
cons to endeavor to bring such members to
gether, and, in brotherly love, use their best
efforts to bring about a reconciliation of feel
ing between them, so that peace and harmony,
brotherly love and Christian fellowship may
rule and reign throughout the church.
sth. It is the duty of the deacons of the
church to visit the sick ; to encourage young
members, and to give gospel advice to all
members of the church who need the same.
6th. The Pastor of the church should be
supported by the church, for “the laborer is
worthy of his hire;” and it is the duty of
the Deacons to see that the Pastor and his
family are cared for ; to collect contributions
from the members of the church, and to pay
the same to the pastor for his support.
7th. Deacons should so conduct themselves,
by their orderly walk and godly conversa
tion, that they may let their light so shine be
fore the world that others seeing their good
works, may be constrained to glorify our Fa
ther in Heaven. And may every Deacon,
together with every follower of the Lamb of
God, be finally saved in the Heavenly King
dom.
Crumbs Gathered from a Trip North.
On a beautiful and lovely morning we
took the street cars, on Third Avenue, New
York ; and all who have ever ridden in street
cars agree that there is nothing very delight
ful in it, only that you are not walking, un
less you have good company. Well, on this
morning I had that delightful privilege. It
was a Baptist—l had like to have said preach
er-, but no, it was an agent of a Baptist De
pository —near kin to a preacher, first cousin, I
reckon.
At 26th Street, we left the cars and walked
to the foot of the same. Here we saw the City
Hospital, which is large. The area of ground
surrounding it is considerable. Next, we be
held the Morgue. O, how sad! how we
shuddered, when through the window we saw
the corpse of two men exposed to view, oil
cloths spread over them and ice-water drip
ping upon their chest. They had been picked
up, either from a watery grave or elsewhere,
and placed there for recognition by their
friends, if friends they had. It is a French
custom, and the Morgue has been established
in New York but recently. Where so many
are being drowned and lost, it is a great com
fort to friends to have their lost ones picked
up and kept from three to four days, in which
time all who have lost a loved one can go to
. the Morgue and search, often (hiding them,
rescued to them, haggard corpses it is true,
but the aching heart is relieved, and can de
posit the remains in their own burial ground.
After leaving this ghastly scene, we went
on board the steamer Bellevue, and my friend
escorted me on deck, where we could view
all the surroundings. After a most delight
ful sail out East River, we reached Black
well’s island. As we came in sight, before
landing, we saw prisoners by fifties and hun
dreds working on the rock wall, repairing it,
which is all around the island, to keep the
earth from washing off. As the boat touches
the island, we walk up to the office of the
almshouse to procure a pilot for the day.
Four ladies had visited the island at the same
time, and they gave us all the same pilot.
The almshouse is visited first. Here we find
the aged and infirm. Everything is kept in
perfect order; the floor are as clean as can
be, reminding one.of their grand mothers in
olden times, in the country, who used to keep
their floors so very nice. A hospital stands
near, for the incut able cases and those who
are too sick to be up. These are large grey
stone buildings.
Now we come to the Lunatic Asylum.
Here are two very large stone buildings; one
in which the convalescing and those who are
not so bad are kept, the other, in which those
who are not so very wild and mad, that no
one is allowed to visit them, are put. The
first of these we were politely shown through.
It has many conveniences, but I do not know
if it is any better than our Asylum at Mid
way. At the end of one-of the halls was a
Bible and stand, arranged for preaching,
which is kept up every Sabbath, I believe.
Many of the patients in this part possess
reason sufficient to like the gospel. Some of
them do most beautiful work ; the women, the
richest embroidery. _
The New York City Prison is located here
also. It is an immense stone building. A
large number of tiers, thirty cells in each
tier. These tiers are placed in the centre,
two rows, cells opening on each side, with a
wide hall between them and the outside wall.
Several stories high. At the time of our
visit 420 prisoners were on hand, but none in
cells during the day—out working. They
are made to do servant’s work at Almshouse,
Lunatic Asylum, etc., and cultivate vegeta
bles for all the inmates of the island. Os
this number 100 were women. The Clerk
said there were more bad men than women,
yet a bad woman was worse than a bad man.
He had more difficulty in governing them.
There was a very large work-house for the
prisoners, in which nothing was doing. The
term of each prisoner being so short, gener
ally, it does not pay to put them to work in
it, as they would be changing too frequently
to learn how to work before they leave.
We also visited the Charity Hospital. As
we reach the door, a woman is seen outside
weeping bitterly, and we learn, after enter
ing, that she had just arrived from the city
to see her sick daughter, whom she found
dead. A great many occupy this hospital.
How sad ! yet what a blessing, that such
comfortable accommodations are provided for
the needy.
After leaving this building, we look round.
What a lovely spot! How charming ! Beau
tifi. residences and grounds, three or four
occupied by the Wardens, etc. The whole
island seems to be a “ Garden of Eden,” so
many vegetables, flowers, c to. But alas t
alas! like the Eden of our first parents, it is
spoiled by sin ; disease, wickedness, and all
the sadness of lunacy, make this delightful
retreat dreadful.
At 3 p.m. the Bellevue returns, and we
leave, thinking how thankful and humble we
should be that our lot is not appointed among
such outcasts. The mercy of God alone re
strains and preserves us. As we land at the
city, we meet a huge wagon, all closed up,
bearing prisoners to the island, and a young
woman sitting with the driver, weeping. O,
the bitterness and the st'ng of sin 1 No rest
for the wicked. Femme.
Macon, June ISStf.
Southern Masonic Female College.
Supposing it would not be inconsistent with
the objects of your paper, to present to your
numerous readers through its columns, a brief
account of the very interesting exercises in
connection with this noble institution, located
in this place, (Covington, Ga.,) 1 will under
take the task, though it will be my first
appearance in a newspaper article.
After a thorough examination of ull the
classes, from the primary to the graduating
class, the regular exercises of the Commence
ment were opened by a sermon on Sab
bath, June 20th, by Rev. E. A. Steed, of
Thomson, Ga. The sermon was a lucid and
forcible exhibition of Gospel truth. It left a
fine impression upon the minds of all, both
old and young, and, upon the hearts of some,
produced the most intense feeling. In the
judgment of some of the oldest citizens, a
sermon so appropriate to the occasion has
seldom been heard. On Monday night was
the Sophomore exhibition, for the prizes in
reading select pieces. After a spirited contest,
in which twenty young ladies participated,
the first prize was awarded by the committee'
to Miss Mary Orr, and the second to Miss Mary
Neal. It was quite difficultfor the committee
to decide, where all read so well.
On Tuesday was the Junior exhibition.
Fourteen young ladies read their composi
tions. While all were good, some possessed
superior excellence. At the close of the ex
ercises, Rev. E. A. Steed presented the prizes
to the successful contestants of the Sophomore
class, in a very appropriate'address, of about
twenty-five minutes. This address was per
vaded with sound sense, and at times sparkled
with wit and glowed with eloquence; and the
audience was delighted. In the afternoon
Rev. A. G. Haygood delivered an eloquent
and forcible address to the Orr and Butler
Societies. For sound wisdom and timely
counsel this address is rarely excelled. Tues
day night was the Annual Concert. This
was quite a success. In the first place, it was
not burdensome by its length, and in the sec
ond place, the pieces,were well selected, and
in the third place, they were well performed,
and as a sequence the audience were highly
entertained. The entire performance bu*h
vocal and instrumental, reflects much credit
upon the fair instructresses in the music de
partment —Mrs. Virginia Conyers, and Miss
Floyd—and demonstrates most clearly, that
the young have no need to go farther North
to acquire a finished musical education.
Wednesday was the great day of the feast.
At an early hour the Masonic fraternity ap
peared in appropriate regalia, headed by the
Grand Lodge, and marshaleld by that veteran
hero, Gen. G. T. Anderson, of your city.
The spacious chapel being crowded to its
utmost capacity, the exercises were opened
with prayer, by Rev. D. E. Butler. After
which fifteen young ladies who had, to the
satisfaction of the Faculty, completed the
prescribed course of study, read their essays
regularly on to the address to the Masonic
fraternity and the valedictory. To this ad
dress, delivered to the Masonic fraternity,
Rev. D. E. Butler responded in a way that
no one else could, and while he was speaking,
we were impressed with the thoughts, that if
every Mason and Christian throughout’ the
State, felt as he did, but few of the orphans
would be without the advantages of a liberal
education. The song “ Farewell,” w’as per
formed by a number of the Musical Class, and
but few could refrain from tears, when those
loving hearts, so long united, were about to
be separated, perhaps nevermore to meet
again this side the grave. And last, but by
no means least, was the baccalaureate of
President Orr. His theme was, Woman’s true
Relation to Society. This subject was handled
as few can handle it. The views were sound
arid Scriptural, well andl forcibly expressed.
Would that the sentiments of that address
were riveted upon the female hearts through
out this vast country.
The Levee in the College Hall, on Wednes
day night, was a brilliant success. Such a
secene of rational, social, witty, light and
frivolous conversation, is rarely witnessed any
where. There were probably not less than
five hundred persons present, and a more
pleasant season of enjoyment has never been
witnessed in the town of Covington.
Observer.
To the Auxiliary S -cieties, Members and
Friends of the American Bible Society, In
North and Middle Georgia.
The undersigned has been appointed As
sistant Agent of the American Bible Society,
for Georgia. The South line of the follow
ing counties constitutes the Southern bounda
ry of the field assigned him. Harris, Upson,
Monroe, Jones, Baldwin, Hancock, Glascock
and Richmond, thence North to the Tennes
see line.
The following suggestions, if observed,
will promote the interest of the Bible cause
in the above named district.
Auxiliary Societies.
1. Each Bible Society that has held its
annual meeting will please report the same
to me immediately, also see that the proper
reports have been made to the Parent Soci
ety.
2. I will attend, the present year, the An
nual Meetings of the Societies formed in
1868, by Rev. R. H. Lucky, Agent.
3. It is the duty of the Executive Com
mittee of each Society, to keep a record of
all acts, in the general work of supplying the
county with Bibles and Testaments, and re
port the same through the Cor. Sec. at the
annual meeting.
4. It is the duty of the Treasurer to keep
an accurate account of ail amounts received
and paid out by the Society, ana report the
same at the Annual Meeting.
5. It is the duty of the Depositary to keep
an account of the number and value of Bi
bles and Testaments received, sold, and do
nated, and report the same, with number and
value on hand, at the Annual Meeting.
6. I will visit, and reorganize, as rapidly
as possible, the societies that existed before
the war.
Bible Committees.
1. It is the of Bible Committees to
keep an account of the tiumberand value of
Bibles and Testaments received, soldaud do
nated.
2. Should Bible Committees need a supply
of books and know not how to order them,
by writing to me the number and quality de
sired, they w ill be ordered.
3. Bible Societies and Committees should
keep books on shelves, convenient to all, and
not in boxes.
Pastors and members of the various
churches, and all friends of the Bible oause
in North and Middle Georgia, are most earn
estly solicited to co-operate with the Ameri
can Bible Society, especially in supplying
Sabbath schools, and the destitute poor, with
ttie Holy Scriptures “without note or com-
Wm. A. Parks, j
Assistant Agent American Bible Society, for
Georgia. P. 0. : Newnan, Ga.
Church Politics.— The Baltimore Episeo
pal Methodist says : Strangely enough, while
a majority of Northern Methodists iu Ohio
and New York and New Jersey vote the
democratic ticket and look upon the acts ot
Congress as unconstitutional and ruinous,
their church authorities give the entire influ
ence of the church press and treasury to the
support of these very measures, and even
dare to endorse them with the tremendous
name of God 1 a his is the most extraordinary
triumph of a church over its membership to
be found in history. It is anew problem f<>r
moral pathology v